richmc

And in an article about education!

The two words are not interchangeable.

would you ever say there is fewer water in the pond, or there is fewer coffee in my cup as I've dunk some?

But I do want to spend less time in traffic jams (not fewer), and have never taken a job that pays fewer money!

Come on if Journalists cant get it right they ought to be thrown out of the nearest window.

mattlad

That's the Grauniad for you!

GreenmanS2000

It's why a take more than 5 items through the short queue in the supermarket....

CynicG

Its an odd choice of terminology clearly to be a soundbite, but depending on whether they meant 'less' as adverb, adjective or preposition, the meaning is radically changed

Adverb - "larger classes, despite subjects" (as in "I can't pay for my meal, less yours")

Adjective - "larger classes, fewer subjects" (as I think it was intended)

Preposition - "larger classes, without subjects" (as in "£50 less VAT")

Its a complicated old language this English!

Fatbloke

You crazy b4stard. If this is the sort of shenanigans you get up to, I can only imagine the sort of mayhem a Saturday night out with the Greenman would entail.

Nick Graves

Actually, I do substitute the word fewer for less, as an oblique comment on those who do the converse.

Really, I couldn't care fewer.

CynicG

Nice